I found the video interesting...

I Never Thought I'd Want To High-Five A Teacher For Yelling At A Student, But I Was Wrong

I know this is on the long-ish side, but I promise that
there's a really valuable message here that makes it worth watching all
the way through.

Jane Elliot is a teacher and diversity trainer
who developed the "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" exercise to teach students what
it feels like to be a person of color. This video begins pretty
abruptly, where one of the students who's been singled out based on eye
color is extremely frustrated.

At 2:46, Elliot explains why she
keeps going even after she's made the point. At 3:35, she delivers an
important message. And at 10:05, you may laugh a little, but I think
you'll really get it.

Many years ago, I could have been the girl
who walked out, not understanding how this feels to the people it
affects. I'm glad that's no longer the case.

A partial transcript from a very powerful portion of the video, beginning at 3:19:

Elliot: “No. You don’t come back in here until you’ve apologized to every
person in this room because you just exercised a freedom that none of these
people of color have. When these people of color get tired of racism, they
can’t just walk out because there’s no place in this country where they aren’t
going to be exposed to racism. They can’t even stay in their own homes and not
be exposed to racism if they turn on their television. But you, as a white
female, when you get tired of being judged and treated unfairly on the basis of
your eye color, you can walk out that door, and you know it won’t happen out
there. You exercised a freedom they don’t have. If you’re going to be in
here, you’re going to apologize to every black person in this room. And do it
now ... and every person of color.”

Student: “I’m sorry there’s racism in this country..."

Elliot: “Bullsh*t! No, you’re not going to say ‘I’m sorry there’s
racism.’ You’re going to apologize for what you just did.”

Student: “I will not apologize because it’s not a matter of race always...”

That was powerful. Yt people never get confronted about racism in this way. I wish there was more of this at the age where it would make a powerful difference. I was glad to see the black and latino students walk away from this exercise understanding their own power in a new way.

It always angers me to no end when white people talk about being color blind. The fact that they can't see why this would anger a poc only deepens the anger.

I'm thankful for teaching like this but it feels like it will never truly get across to white people. Feels like it'll simply be an endless cycle of whites not recognizing privilege and ignoring any bit of advice or teaching that corrects their unjustified acceptance of a color-blind/post racial society.

So true Random. If nothing else it should show the black/latino kids that all of the kumbaya sh*t was bullsh*t. Yt "friends" they thought were cool really don't get it. I love how the black girl said all the "sh*t" I have to go through everyday. She will not grow up to be one of those black people pulling out her cape every time yt ppl do something stupid. Trying to help everyone else rationalize why Trayvon should have chosen different apparel to decrease his chances of being shot.

The irony in this is that professor is exercising white privilege, too--it's just a lot less subtle. And I know she knows it, too. She seems to have an amazing grasp on the subject.

Had that same speech reprimanding that privileged crybaby been given by a black woman, no one would give it any credence. The video would not be as popular as it is. People would not be wanting to high five her. They would tell her she needs to stop expecting the world to lower the bar for her or to stop making the present generation of white people pay for the debts of their ancestors because we clearly live in an era where race is no longer a burdensome issue. They would say her points are invalid because she never experienced slavery. Oh, but because an older white woman is giving the spiel, all of a sudden people see the light.

A black person gives this abrasive lesson, and they are condemned as angry black people that can't get points across in a 'civilized' manner.

I always wrestle with it. Black people come up with these arguments and express them beautifully, but the sad truth remains that it might not ever get across until a white person is articulating it. Black people talking about race in 2013 is almost collectively dismissed by people because we "need to get over it" and "need to stop making excuses" and "blacks think everything is racist" and "Obama is President", rinse and repeat.

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